Canada’s provincial leaders are grappling with the challenge of distributing asylum seekers more evenly across the country. The issue came to the forefront during a three-day summit of Canada’s premiers in Halifax, where Quebec Premier François Legault highlighted the strain his province is facing due to the high number of asylum seekers.
While all premiers jointly called for a more balanced distribution of would-be refugees, only two leaders have publicly volunteered to take in more asylum seekers to alleviate pressure on Quebec. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew expressed willingness to welcome more asylum seekers, particularly francophones, contingent on increased federal funding. Similarly, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey offered to “proportionally share” the number of newcomers seeking refugee status.
However, several other provincial leaders pointed out that they are facing similar pressures from immigration. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford emphasized that their provinces are already shouldering a significant burden in accommodating newcomers. British Columbia Premier David Eby noted that every province is grappling with “remarkable immigration numbers.”
The premiers are calling on the federal government to expedite the assessment of asylum seekers and provide appropriate funding to support housing and other services for newcomers. They also stressed the need for Ottawa to work with provincial and territorial governments to determine suitable numbers of accepted asylum seekers.
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Quebec currently hosts more than 50% of Canada’s asylum seekers, according to the provincial government. Recent Statistics Canada data reveals a significant increase in non-permanent residents in Quebec, rising from 295,000 in 2022 to 597,000 in the second quarter of 2024, including 190,000 asylum seekers.
Legault hopes to transfer some asylum seekers from Quebec to other provinces in the coming months. He has also warned about the potential for a new influx of would-be refugees if former US President Donald Trump returns to the White House.
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